Solutions

Wintop’s industrial switches and optical transceiver product lines cover every stage from substations to distribution networks. Designed for wide-temperature operation, they deliver high reliability and stable performance. We tailor solutions to your needs to help you meet the toughest environmental challenges.

Ring Networks for Reliable Video Transmission in Tunnel Surveillance

Time：2026-11-06 Views：11

A roadside camera needs more than a network connection: it also needs power, a reliable path for video data, and equipment suited to its surroundings. An industrial Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch brings the first two requirements together by supplying power and carrying data over Ethernet connections. Models with DIP switches add another practical element: physical switches that simplify configuration.

Wintop’s intelligent DIP-switch PoE range illustrates how these devices can serve different deployment sizes. Its industrial models provide four or eight gigabit PoE ports for distributed equipment, while rack-mounted models provide 16 or 24. Choosing among them involves more than counting ports: uplink connections, operating temperature, installation method, and the wider network architecture all affect whether a switch fits the job.

How PoE and DIP Switches Simplify Field Connections

A PoE switch combines Ethernet data transmission and power delivery for compatible connected devices. In a video monitoring system, a camera can send its video stream through a PoE network connection while receiving power through that connection. This makes PoE relevant where cameras and other powered devices are spread across roads, industrial sites, or security installations.

An intelligent DIP-switch PoE switch also has physical DIP switches used for configuration. The settings available depend on the product, so they should be checked in the documentation for the specific model. A DIP-switch model should not be assumed to offer the same management functions as a managed industrial switch.

PoE capability also needs to be assessed separately from port speed. A gigabit PoE port describes a network connection with gigabit-class data capacity and PoE functionality; it does not, by itself, specify the power available to a connected device. The supported PoE standard, per-port output, and total power budget should be confirmed before connecting equipment.

Choosing Between Fiber and Electrical Uplinks

A PoE switch typically connects field devices through its downlink ports and passes their traffic toward the rest of the network through uplink ports. Wintop’s compact intelligent DIP-switch models use different combinations of gigabit fiber and electrical uplinks:

Model	Gigabit fiber uplinks	Gigabit electrical uplinks	Gigabit PoE downlinks
RS236-1GF5GT-4POE	1	1	4
RS2310-1GF9GT-8POE	1	1	8
RS236-2GF4GT-4POE	2	0	4
RS2310-2GF8GT-8POE	2	0	8

The four-port models suit locations with fewer powered endpoints, while the eight-port models accommodate more PoE connections at one switch. The choice between one fiber plus one electrical uplink and two fiber uplinks depends on how the access switch must connect to the surrounding network.

Two fiber ports can provide flexibility in a fiber-based topology, but port count alone does not establish that a switch supports a particular redundancy protocol or recovery time. Those capabilities must be verified for the selected equipment and network design.

For higher-density installations, the rack-mounted CM2320-2GF18GT-16POE provides two gigabit fiber ports, two gigabit electrical ports, and 16 gigabit PoE ports. The CM2328-2GF26GT-24POE has the same fiber and non-PoE electrical port counts, with 24 gigabit PoE ports. These configurations are relevant when more connections need to be brought together in a rack rather than distributed across several field locations.

What Environmental Ratings Mean in Practice

Operating temperature is the ambient temperature range within which equipment is designed to work. Wintop’s four compact industrial PoE models are rated from -40°C to 85°C, while the two rack-mounted models are rated from -20°C to 75°C. The wider range of the compact models is an important consideration for exposed or poorly conditioned field enclosures; the temperature inside the enclosure should be assessed, not just the outdoor air temperature.

The compact models also use IP40-rated aluminum housings and vibration-resistant DIN-rail mounting. IP40 describes protection against solid objects of a specified size, but it does not indicate water protection. A suitable enclosure is therefore still a consideration wherever moisture or other environmental exposure is present.

The rack-mounted models use impact-resistant metal housings and are designed with low power consumption in mind. They provide EMI/EMC protection and undergo 100% aging testing. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) refers to unwanted electromagnetic disturbance; electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) concerns equipment operating in its electromagnetic environment. These characteristics matter when network equipment is installed alongside other electrical systems, although the exact protection requirements depend on the site.

From Roadside Cameras to a Monitoring Center

A traffic-monitoring network must move video from dispersed intersections to a central display. At the field end, an industrial switch can collect connections from nearby cameras; traffic is then passed through aggregation and transmission equipment to a monitoring center.

Wintop’s intelligent traffic monitoring architecture uses the RS236-2GF4GT industrial switch for front-end access, the RS6312-4GF8GT for intersection-level aggregation, and the CM6328-2GF26GT for center-side access and data distribution. The RS236-2GF4GT in that architecture is a different model from the RS236-2GF4GT-4POE: their names should not be treated as interchangeable when checking power or port requirements.

A highway tunnel creates a related but distinct problem. Cameras are distributed along the tunnel, and continuity of the transmission path is important. Wintop’s tunnel architecture uses RS6310-2GF8GT and RS6312-4GF8GT industrial switches for local camera access, with an industrial ring network and a CM6320-2GF18GT switch at the monitoring center. The ring architecture provides a redundant path, but its behavior depends on the deployed switches and configuration. The presence of two fiber ports on a PoE access switch alone is not proof of ring-protocol support.

At the center of a larger network, aggregation and management requirements can also differ from those at the PoE access layer. For example, Wintop’s CM8000-4WF16GF8GT is a managed Layer 3 industrial switch with four 10-gigabit fiber ports, 16 gigabit fiber ports, and eight gigabit electrical ports. Its Layer 3 functions include static routing, RIP, OSPF, and VRRP. These functions address network routing and management; they should not be assumed to be features of the intelligent DIP-switch PoE models.

Selecting a Switch for the Complete Network

A practical selection starts with the number of powered devices and their power requirements, then moves outward to the connections and conditions around them. Four or eight PoE ports may fit a distributed field cabinet, while 16 or 24 ports may better fit a rack-based installation. Fiber and electrical uplinks must match the intended network links, and the specified operating temperature must match the installation environment.

The network’s control requirements are equally important. A straightforward DIP-switch PoE device can serve a different role from a managed aggregation switch, and a redundant ring requires compatible equipment and an appropriate configuration. Wintop’s range spans both PoE access and managed industrial switching, allowing these roles to be considered as parts of the same network rather than as interchangeable product features.

Previous Article：Wintop Industrial Ethernet Switches: Building Reliable Networks for Demanding Environments Next Article：Time Synchronization Across Substation Automation Layers

Solutions

Advanced R&D Capabilities

Committed to becoming
a global leader in industrial connectivity

Ring Networks for Reliable Video Transmission in Tunnel Surveillance

How PoE and DIP Switches Simplify Field Connections

Choosing Between Fiber and Electrical Uplinks

What Environmental Ratings Mean in Practice

From Roadside Cameras to a Monitoring Center

Selecting a Switch for the Complete Network

Solutions

Advanced R&D Capabilities

Committed to becominga global leader in industrial connectivity

Ring Networks for Reliable Video Transmission in Tunnel Surveillance

How PoE and DIP Switches Simplify Field Connections

Choosing Between Fiber and Electrical Uplinks

What Environmental Ratings Mean in Practice

From Roadside Cameras to a Monitoring Center

Selecting a Switch for the Complete Network

Committed to becoming
a global leader in industrial connectivity